Ordering a meal

French Factfile 12
ordering a meal
Learn with television
Learn online
Talk French: Programme 5
Discover what people in Provence like for
lunch and how to order a meal in a
restaurant.
www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french
French Experience I: Programme 11
Visit Paris restaurant and join a group of
people to find out what they choose to
eat.
French Steps: Stage 3: Ordering at a
restaurant; Asking about the food
Watch Hakim M’Barek in Lyon as he samples
the specialities of a traditional restaurant.
Then do the activities and go to Fact File where
you can find out about eating out in France and
check out the links to sites of interest.
Talk French and French Experience are
repeated regularly on BBC Learning Zone
(BBC Two). Check out the details on
www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone and video
the programmes to watch at your leisure.
Talk French: Enjoy your meal!
French Experience: Bon appétit!
Focus on selected video clips from the TV
programmes – the transcript is there to support
you – then have a go at the activities.
Learning hint
If you have a dictionary, find the French names of your favourite
foods. Then practise asking – out loud – for them using Vous avez?
and Je voudrais. Look up too the French for the things you don’t like,
can’t eat or are allergic to, so that you can avoid them on menus.
Key language
Vous avez une table? Do you have a table?
une entrée starter
Pour combien de personnes? For how many?
un plat principal main dish
Vous avez choisi? Are you ready to order?
un dessert dessert
Tout va bien? Is everything ok?
le plat du jour dish of the day
C’est quoi? What is it?
une carafe d’eau jug of water
C’est servi avec... It’s served with...
à point medium rare
Vous désirez quelle cuisson? How would you like it
cooked?
bien cuit/cuite well done (m/f)
Qu’est-ce que vous pouvez me/nous
recommander? What can you recommend to me/us?
Quiz
1.
To book a table for six, would you complete the sentence Je voudrais ________ une
table pour six with acheter, réserver or fumer?
2.
Would you eat or drink un pot-au-feu?
3.
You see le cervelas on a menu and you don’t know what it means. How do you ask? And
what will you learn?
4.
You’re eating on your own. How would you ask the waiter to advise you on what to eat?
5.
You’ve really enjoyed your meal. How would you tell your host or the chef that it’s
perfect?
6.
And how would you ask for the bill?
Answers on www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/answers.shtml
© Get Talking: BBC/Learning and Skills Council joint project 2004